Brendon Ayanbadejo

Media guide musings: Undrafted free agent out of UCLA, signing with Atlanta in 1999. Bounced around NFL, including a four-month stint with Bears from Jan.-May 2000. Spent time in CFL and NFL Europe before signing with Miami in 2003. Traded to Bears for tight end John Owens in Aug. 2005. Signed through 2007. Pro Bowl alternate in 2005 for special teams play, second alternate in 2004 with Mami. Majored in history. Younger brother Obafemi plays for Arizona. Lived in Nigeria from age 1 to 4.

Vitals: 29 years old, 6-1, 228

Favorite pro team growing up: "At different points in time the team changed as I moved. I started out, I lived in Chicago, so my first time it was the Bears and the Bulls, and it wasn't hard to be a fan of theirs with the championships and Jordan and everything. Then as I moved to California, they became the Niners, the Giants, the A's and Lakers."

College team growing up: UCLA

Favorite non-football sport to play: Racquetball

To watch: World Cup soccer. "It's gotta be World Cup, though, I don't watch any other soccer I watched it with Izzy and ."

Toughest loss you've ever had as a player:Carolina. "We really expected to win and go a lot farther than we did."

Toughest loss you've watched as a fan:De La Hoya-Trinidad. "De La Hoya was kinda up the first few rounds then he kinda just cruised and dodged him the rest of the fight. I was like, 'Get on him! Get on him! You're not winning these rounds!' Yelling at the TV."

Favorite team right now not named "Bears": Lakers

Best advice you ever received: "People say, 'Aw, you'll figure it out when you're older, you'll get it when you're older.' I don't know if it's good advice, but it's true."

High school mascot: Cardinal

Toughest rivalry you've been a part of: "I can't say the Packers 'cause we beat 'em every time we play 'em, and I can't say USC 'cause I beat them every time I played them in college, too. Maybe when I was in Miami, playing the Patriots."